Campaign Map of the European Theater

Division Chronicle

After continuing its training in England, the 6th Armored Division landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, 18 July 1944, and went on the offensive in the Cotentin Peninsula, driving through Avranches, and moving on to take part in the liberation of Brest and the clearing of the Brittany Peninsula. In mid-August the Division moved down to Lorient. The 6th then turned east and cut across France, reaching the Saar in November. It crossed the Nied River 11-12 November, against strong opposition, reaching the German border on 6 December, and established and maintained defensive positions in the vicinity of Saarbrucken. On 23 December the Division was ordered north of Metz to take part in the Battle of the Bulge, and took over a sector along the south bank of the Sauer River. The 6th was heavily engaged in the battle for Bastogne, finally driving the enemy back across the our River into Germany by late January. After a short period of rehabilitation, the Division resumed the offensive, penetrated the Siegfried Line, crossed the Prum, reached the Rhine River at Worms 21 March, and set up a counterreconnaissance screen along its west bank. The 6th crossed the Rhine at Oppenheim 25 March, drove on to Frankfurt, crossed the Main, captured BadNauheim, and continued to advance eastward, and surrounded and captured Muhlhausen 4-5 April 1945. After repulsing a light counterattack, it moved forward 60 miles to cross the Saale River and assisted in freeing Allied prisoners of war and the notorious German Concentration Camp at Buchenwald. The Division raced on, took Leipzig, crossed the Mulde River at Rochlitz 15 April 1945, and stopped, pending the arrival of the Russian Army. Defensive positions along the Mulde River were held until the end of hostilities in Europe.

Notes and sources:
Date Activated is the date the division was activated or inducted into federal service (national guard units).
Casualties are number of killed, wounded in action, captured, and missing.
The dates after the campaign name are the dates of the campaign not of the division.
The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States; , U.S. Government Printing Office. Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths in World War II, Final Report, 1 December 1941 - 31 December 1946.
US Army Center of Military History at http://www.history.army.mil/
Various divisional histories